Automatic fabric stitcher



Max-d1 25, 1941.'4 l G. A. Box-:T'rcHER l 2,236,421

AUTOMATIC FABRIC STITCHER ATTORN EY.

mmh 25, y1941.

G. A. BOETTCHER AUTOMATIC FABRIC sTI-TcHER Filed Feb. 7, 1938 5Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY. r

March 25, 194i. lca A. BOETTCHER AUTOMATIC FABRIC STITCHER 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 7, 1938 INVENTORI ATTORNEY.

arch'Z, 1941. G. A. BOETTCHER 2,236,421

AUTOMATIC FABRIC STITCHER i Filed Feb. '7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic textile stitcher or stitchingmachine with particular Areference to that type which are suitable forstitching quilted mattress tops and the like,

The main object of my invention is to provide a machine of the characterindicated which is capable of stitching a great variety of designs uponmattress tops and repeating such designs on any number of such topswithout the necessity of an operator vmanually controlling the movementsof the machine in producing the details o the designs involved.

Another object is to provide such a machine with a special design boardwhich carries the design desired to be stitched upon the mattress topwhich is mounted upon the machine, and which is capable of completelydetermining the movements of the stitching mechanism of the machine aswell as the mattress top which will complete 2o the design.

A further object is to provide such a design board and correspondingmechanism operating upon the machine which will positively move andguide the operating parts through-out the stitching of the design sothat the mattress top will be provided with the stitched design in anautomatic manner after the machine has been started.

It isA also .an object of my invention to provide a completely automaticmachine of this type having a frame carrying the mattress ltop andmovable horizontally in any direction in complete obedience to theconfiguration of the design board while on the other hand it is alsointended that the invention shall also include such convenient y,arrangement of parts and related operating members as well as electricstarting and stopping a-s to greatly facilitate the production ofquilted mattress tops in a manner not heretofore possible.

Other objects and the Various advantages inherent in the invention andthe forms in which it may be carried out will appear more fully as thisspeeication proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

y Fig. l is a perspective View of a practical `embodiment of -myinvention for stitchingl designs upon quilted mattress tops.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same machine with 5f.) certain sectionsremoved to reduce the size of the View.

Fig. 3 is an end plan View of the machine as seen from the right in Fig.1 or 2. J-

Fig, 4 is a View from the other end of the machine partly in sectiontaken on line 4 4 Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section of controlling mechanism of the machine taken online 5-5 Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a. viewof the same mechanism as seen from lbelow* with certainparts taken in section on line 6 6 Fig. 5. 5

Fig. 7 is another section of the same mechanism taken on line 1-1 Fig.6.

' Fig. 8 is a perspective View of an operating member shown in Figs. 4,5, and 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View of one form of a 10 frame which may besuitable for holding the mattress top'in position upon the machine,fragmentary of such a Itop also being shown.

Fig. 10 is a limited sectional View of certain of the operating partsshown in section as taken on linel Iii-l0 Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan View of the design board of the machine.

Fig. 12 illustrates an operating sprocket and part of the drive shaftfor the same, the sprocket 20 cooperating with the design board so as toguide themachine in its operation.

Fig. 13. is a section of the sprocket and part of the drive shaft aswell as part of the design board as taken on line l3-l 3 in Fig. 11. 25

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section of the design board including a portionencompassed between the arrows in l4-I 4 Fig. 11.

Fig. 15 is a modification of .the parts shown in 30 Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is .another modification which in some respects more closelyresembles the mechanism of Fig. 13.

Fig. 1'7 is a further modification. 35

Fig. 18 is. a horizontal section of the parts shown inFig. 17 on lineI8I8.

Fig. 19 illustrates a modification of the frame particularly shown inFig. 9.

Throughout the views the reference numerals 40 indicate the same or likeparts.

In the textile art it has long been desirable to be able tostitchquil-.ted mattress tops and similar textiles according to predetermineddesigns and particularly to do 'this in a convenient and 45 automaticmanner so that the fallible human `element could be eliminated as far aspossible and the production of such mattress tops facilitated to such anextent as to lower the 'cost of production 4to reasonable figures. Ithas also been 50 highly desirable to be in a position to repeat an.acceptable design upon a series of mattress tops s and itis quiteevident that it is most desirable to have this automatically done upon amachine whichcanbe automatically controlled both asto 55 operation andas to the actual configuration and details or" the design which is to bestitched.

In order to make it possible to conveniently and automatically apply anytype of desirable design to a quilted mattress top and particularly withthe foregoing object in view the present invention is designed and alsoincludes special facilities for conveniently starting and stopping themachine and otherwise controlling the same. Hence, in the practice of myinvention a pair of rails I and 2 which may be channel irons and thelike, are preferably secured to the floor of the shop or work-room inwhich the machine is located and upon these rails which are secured inparallelism a plurality of rollers similar to 3, 3, etc. are adapted totravel, these rollers support? ing a frame generally indicated at 4. Theframe 4 consists of a pair of longitudinal elements 5, 6 secured inspace parallelism by means of a pair. of spacers 1, 8 while a pluralityof braces similar to 9 and I 6 serve to reinforce the frame so that itwill retain its shape. The rollers 3, 3 are preferably located betweenthe space bars 1, 8 and are pivoted thereto so that the entire framewill ride upon the rails I and 2 longitudinally of the latter, whileadditional side rollers II, II pivoted upon verticle axis upon frame 4engage the sides of rail II in at least two spaced positions upon saidrail in order to retain rollers 3, 3 under the spacing bars upon therails.

From the foregoing it is evident that frame 4 is capable of rollingalong the rails I and 2 without danger of being derailed.

Surmounting the longitudinal elements 5, 6 a hollow rectangular framegenerally indicated at I2 is provided with rollers I3, I3, etc., whichtravel upon said elements 5, 6 lso that the latter serve as transverserails upon which said frame I2 is adapted to travel transversely inrespect to floor rails I and 2. 'I'he frame I2 is'provided with guiderollers similar to I4 etc. at two or more points along one side whichengage against both sides of element or rail 5 in order to maintainrollers I3, I3 upon rails 5, 6 which in turn retains the frame I2 insupported engagement with said rails and allows a rolling movement ofsaid frame in either direction along said rails or upon frame 4.

The mentioned frame I2 mainly consists of a lower frame portionindicated at I5 which in turn is built up of individual frame membersI6; I1, I8 and I9 secured together at the corners as well asintermediate frame members and 2I which serve to support a design boardindicated at 22. At the corners of the frame I5 are secured uprightposts similar to 23, 24, and 26 which are surmounted by an upper frameportion generally indicated at 21 and consisting of the frame '29, 29,3D and 3| secured 4together at the corners and provided with dependingportions similar to 32, 33 which may be directly secured to the cornerposts 23, 24, etc., of frame I2 or may be clamped or adjustably screwedto the posts so that the lever of frame 21 may be adjusted to variousheights with respect to the lower frame I5.

Nevertheless `whenever the machine is set up for operation the upperframe is to be considered a unit with the lower framel5 for the purposesof operation and may be adjustable merely to compensate for thedifferent thicknesses of fabric. The upper frame 21 serves to support adetachable frame or carrier 34 to which a mattress top 35 may beattached by means of clamps 36 provided with clamping jaws 31 as shownbest in Fig. 9. These clamps may be secured to straps similar to 36which are caught in buckles 39 which may be directly fastened to theframe or carrier 34. This latter carrier may be clamped upon the upperframe 21 in any known or desired manner and the details of suchdetachment need not be dwelt upon as they form no essential part of theinvention.

'I'hus far the similar organization supporting a mattress top in movingmanner and also supporting the design board in parallelism beneath themattress top has been disclosed, but we will now proceed with thedescription of the sewing instrumentalities as well as the design guide,operating and control mechanism.

. Thus a pair of upright supporting end frames 40, 4I are secured to thefloor to which rails I and 2 are attached and these end frames support apair of paravertically spaced horizontal frame members or longitudinalelements 42, 43, said elements being either solid shafts, rails or pipesas maybe found most suitable. The end frames 40 and 4I and the twospacing elements 42 and 43 together constitute a xed frame forsupporting the sewing instrumentalities which primarily involve a sewinghead generally indicated at 44 and provided with a presser foot 45adapted to be lowered into more or less actual contact with the fabricor mattress top 35. The sewing head is provided with a movable take-up46 and needle bar 41 carrying needle 48 and driven by a shaft 49supported in a plurality of bearings 5U mounted upon the frame elementor pipe 43, which shaft in turn is driven by a motor 5I associated withthe upright frame member 4I and provided with a pulley 52 driving a belt53 rotating a pulley 54 which is fixed upon a shaft 55 upon which is`mounted a sprocket 56 driving a chain 51, engaging and driving asprocket 58 upon a shaft 49. passed down through the needle is furnishedby a spool or a thread package 59 the thread 60 being passed up throughan eyelet or guide 6I in the upper right thread guide 62 whence thethread passes to the sewing head. Upon the sewing head the thread passesdown past the tension device 63 to a lower guide 64 then up to themovable tension device 46 and then from this, down to the needle 48. Thepresser foot 45 is preferably cup-shaped so that it will not offer anyresistance to the passage of the fabric in various directions beneaththe same, the sewing or stitching being naturally performed in the usualmanner.

Beneath the presser foot there is located a needle plate- 65 supportedupon one or more brackets 66 which is fixed to the lower horizontalframe elements or pipe 42 by means of a. clamp 61 or by any other meanswhich will serve this purpose or said brackets may be fused or welded tomember 42 if so desired. As indicated in Fig. 4 a shuttle case 68 islocated between the brackets 66 and is of course adapted to contain ashuttle with a bobbin loaded with thread and operated by shaft so as tocooperate with the y needle in wellknown manner so that further detailsin lthis respect would appear to be superuous. Suffice it to state thatin order to lower and raise the needle by hand a manual operating wheel69 is fixed upon the drive shaft 49 so that slow partial movements ofthe needle bar and needle 'are possible while setting up work in themachine. l

The motor 5I which is provided with the pulley 52 from which the sewinginstrumentalities pre- The thread for the sewing intended to be viouslydescribed are driven, is also provided at the other end of its shaftwith a pulley 10fwhich is one of an interchangeable series of differentsizesof pulleys serving to drive the design board mechanism, the size ofthe pulley determining the size of the stitches by virtue of the actualspeed of travel imparted to the one frame I2 and the carrier frame andmattress top attached thereto during operation, as will immediatelyappear. The pulley 10 is connected by a belt 1| to a larger pulley 12fixed upon a driving shaft 13 supported in bearings '14, 15 secured toand supported upon the lower frame element 42 of the stationary frame.The mentioned pulley is lov cated near the upright frame 4| upon one endof shaft 43 while upon the other end of the same shaft is fixed, a worm14, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 but best in Fig. 10, said worm driving aworm gear 15 mounted upon a vertical shaft 16 which rotates in thebearings 11, 18 fixed to a design driving bracket 19 which is securedlto frame element or pipe 42 so as to remain in fixed position. Thelowerl end of the vertical shaft 16 terminates in a reduced portion andis provided with a tarnsverse key 8| so that this shaft may seat in aconcave or cup portion 82 in a sprocket body 83, the lower end passingdown into a circular hole 84 in the sprocket body while the key 8|engages in slot 85. This sprocket body 83 is povided with a sprocketproper 86 and a lower guiding end 81 adapted to engage in a groove orchannel 88 in the design board 22, these features being best shown inFigs. 11, 12, A13 also shown in a more general way in Figs. 1 and 2. Theteeth of the sprocket 86 are adapted to engage in the holes 89 in thedesign rail 90, the channel 88 serving to maintain these teeth inengagement with said rail throughout the various portions of the designas found upon the design board. The purpose of the cup portion in theupper part of the sprocket body is to guide the lower end 80 of theshaft 16 into position in said body, because it is intended that thesprocket when once engaged with the holes or slots in the design vrail90 Vshould thereafter remain engaged or captive to vthe board whileshaft 16 is capable of being released from engagement with said sprocketbody, and it is evident that when the lower guide end 81 issimultaneously engaged in the channel 88' in the design board with theengagement of the sprocket 86 the sprocket body can not readily beremoved from such two-fold engagement with the board and itsappurtenances. Obviously the holes 89 can be vertically arranged to beslots and can be drilled or punched in the rail as may seem best butthey are nevertheless equally spaced so that the sprocket will in allcases engage holes or said slots, as with the teeth or a rack. By virtueof such continuous engagement with the design rail and the engagement ofthe guiding end 81 in the channel which runs in correspondingparallelism to the design rail, the parallelism will naturally followthe rail and channel no matter what shape the rail may take and it istherefore clear that the sprocket if rotating in a singular positionwith a fixed axis, the design board will be compelled to move past thesprocket and will be shifted in various directions according to thevarious convolutions of the design rail and its accompanying channel.

Ther design board proper may consist of a wooden board 9| into which thechannel 88 is cut or it may consist of some composition of metal or ofpaper or any other material which will serve the purpose while thedesign rail is preferably made of astrip of metal bent to the desiredform and secured to the board by means of a plurality of angular cleatssimilar to 92, the cleats being riveted, fused, or welded to the rail.

It is obvious if the sprocket and its operating 5 mechanism especiallythe vertical operating shaft 16 were at all times mutually engaged in aninseparable manner that it would be exceedingly diflicult to remove adesign board from the ma-` chine in order to replace the same by a board10 having a different design and in addition it would also be difficultto adjust the machine and start the design at any-point desired. It istherefore a feature of the invention that means are included for raisingthe shaft 16 out of engagement with 15 the sprocket body so that thedesign board 22 can be removed from the lower level frame I5 of thehollow rectangular floating frame I2 upon the top of which fabric 35 issupported. In order to fulfill this purpose a anged member 93 is fixed20 upon shaft 16 normally resting upon cam 94 fixed upon a horizontalshaft 95 while a coil spring 96 is located between the flanged member 93and the bearings 91 upon shaft 16, in order to resiliently urge theshaft downwardly into normal 25 engagement with the sprocket body 83.When the cam 94 which may simply be an eccentric is 1ocated in itslowest position as particularly disclosed in Fig. 2 shaft 16 is ofcourse also in its lowest engaged position and positively rotating the30 sprocket 86, but when shaft 95 is rotated by half a revolution thenthe cam or eccentric 94 will rotate to its highest position in which itwill lift shaft 16 by raising flanged member 93 compressing spring 96.

\ However, in order to raise shaft 'I6 out of engagement and performthis by rotating shaft 95, certain means are included which are bestdisclosed in Figs. 4 to 8. For this purpose the shaft 95 is providedwithin a casing 96 with a sprocket 40 91 driven by a chain 98 which inturn is driven by `a smaller sprocket 99 which bears a relation of oneto two with respect to the sprocket 91 so that one revolution ofsprocket 99 will result in a onehalf revolution of sprocket 91 and shaft95. In 45 order to control the revolution of sprocket 99 and limit thesame to a single revolution whenever it is to be operated said sprocketis fixed upon a clutch body |00, rotatable upon a fixed shaft |0|secured in frame member. 40 of the machinev (Fig. 50 v'1).

Upon the same shaft is a loosely mounted pulley |02 driven by a belt |03which in turn is driven by a pulley |04 of a speed reducing mechanismindicated at |05 and driven by a m-otor |06 also mounted in a frame 40(Fig. 4). If the cur- 55 m2 is provided with a clutch stud los while the65 clutch body |00 has a swingable clutch member |09 pivoted thereto atI I0 so that a projection I Y thereof is upon occasion capable ofswinging into the path of stud |08 which obviously will force the clutchbody and sprocket 99 to rotate with 70 pulley |02 as long as projectionof ||I of clutch member |09 remains in the path of stud |08. Normallythe clutch member is urged into the mentioned type of engagement withthe stud by 'means of a spring ||2 partly embedded in the 75 said clutchmember and in the clutch body as shown in Fig. 7. In order to controlthe position of the clutch member a clutch releasing and locking leverH3 is pivoted at one end to the machine frame 40 (Fig. 4) as at I4, saidlever being urged upwardly by a spring I|5 while being intermediate theends thereby connected by a link H6 to the core I1 of a solenoid orelectromagnet device II 8. The mentioned clutch releasing and lock leveris guided in its movements in a slot |I9 in a bracket I 20 fixed to themachine frame while upon its free end it is provided with a camming`portion |2| capable of guiding the end |22 of the swingable clutchmember I 09 into inactive position within the general outline of theclutch body as in Fig. 7. In this position the clutch member abuts astop |23 which holds the clutch body |00 and sprocket 99 positivelyagainst rotation which is of course desirable as this assures a positivestationary position for shaft 95 and eccentric 94.

As the motor |06 is started and pulley |02 is rotating idly an auxiliarybranch circuit including solenoid H8, may be temporarily closed whichimmediately energizes said solenoid and causes core I I1 to enterfurther into the solenoid and thereby withdrawing clutch release lever II3 downwardly toward slot H9 and out of Contact with the lower end |22of clutch member |09 with the result that spring H2 will immediatelyshift or spring clutch member |09 about its pivot H0 toward pulley |02in a plane coinciding with or parallel with the axis of shaft |0| sothat its projection is directly in the path of stud |08 of pulley |02.The mentioned stud of the pulley promptly carries the clutch andsprocket 99 around with the chain until the end |22 of the clutch memberengages the inclined surface of the camming portion I2| of the releaselever H3, said camming portion immediately guiding and springing by itsincreasing side inclination the lower end |22 and the clutch member as awhole about pivot H0, back into idle position in which it is instantlydisengaged from contact with stud |08, whereupon the release lever H3 israised by return spring H5 into obstructing and locking position withrespect to the locking end |22 of the clutch member simultaneouslyraising the core H1 from solenoid or coil |I8 said locking end blockedby stop |23 so that the revolution of the clutch body is immediatelyterminated. From the foregoing description of the clutch mechanism it isevident that only a momentary closing of the circuit of the solenoid H8is necessary to cause the continuously rotated pulley |02 to impart asingle revolution to the clutch body |00 and its associated sprocket 99which in turn produces a one-half revolution of sprocket 91, shaft 95and eccentric 94 with consequently raising or lowering the flangedmember 93 and shaft 16 in order to cause engagement or disengagement ofsaid shaft with the sprocket body 83. Naturally rwhen it is desired toshift the fabric or manually 4to guide lthe floating frame I2 it ispossible to cause the shaft 16 to be disengaged from the sprocket bodyafter having stopped the motor 5| and caused rotation of shafts 49, 55and 13 to stop when it is even possible to replace a design board if sodesired.

The fabric may thus be quickly shifted for inspection or for repair of abroken thread by manually shifting the floating frame I2 toward theoperator, and various other manipulations simultaneously becoming arepossible because of the facilities just described.`

When the motor 5I is started and both Pulleys 52 and 10 simultaneouslyrotate, it is obvious that the sewing shaft 49 operating the sewinghead, rotates simultaneously with the shuttle operating shaft 55 whilethe design operating shaft 13 also rotates, vbut as already intimatedthe size of pulley will determine the speed of travel of the sprocket 86along the design rail 90 and this quite obviously determines directlythe length of the stitches produced by the sewing head upon the fabricor mattress top 35.

While the design board as already described and shown involves the useof a perforated rail having holes or slots 89 and the lower end of thesprocket body travels in a guiding channel in order to-maintain theproper meshing of the sprocket with the apertures or slots in the designrail throughout its entire travel, it is nevertheless possible to modifythe form of the rail or of the guide by means for example shown in themodification appearing in Fig. 15. In this figure the rail90 may in alldetails remain unchanged and the sprocket |24 may mesh with the same asin the case of the sprocket 86, but this sprocket may be fixed upon anoperating shaft |25, which serves the same purpose as previouslydescribed operating shaft 16. Above the sprocket is mounted loosely, aswingable collar |26 provided with a stud |21 upon which a doubleflanged pulley or wheel |28 is rotatably mounted and retained inposition by a collar |29 fixed upon the stud. The mentioned pulley ridesupon the rail while the flanges |30, |3| retain the pulley upon the railand maintain a constant distance relation between the axis of operatingshaft |25 and sprocket |24 on the one hand and rail 90 on the otherhand. In this case it is quite evident that the design board |32requires no channel to be cut in the same.

Another modification is illustrated in Fig. 16 wherein the design board|33 has a channel in which the lower end |34 of an operating shaft |35travels while the sprocket or sprocket body is replaced by a pulley |36which engages against the sides of a rubber bead |31 fixed to a designrail |38. In this case the design rail requires no apertures or slots asthe meshing of the sprocket is replaced by the continuous frictionalengagement of the flanges of the pulley |36 with the upperland lowersides or surfaces of the rubber bead |31.

A further modification is illustrated in Figs. 17 and 18 in which aportion of the frame of the machine at |39 supports a rotatable cupmember |40 capable of being engaged by shaft 16 with the lower end 80 asjust described while the key or pin 8| is adapted to engage with theslot I 4| in the upper portion of said cup member. The mentioned cupmember extends downwardly through the bearings |42 and |43 and betweensaid bearings is provided with a sprocket |44 xed thereto whilerotatable bracket or collar |45 is mounted above said sprocket upon saidmember. The mentioned collar has a fixed stud |46 upon which a flangedwheel |41 is freely rotatable and retained in position by collar |48while traveling upon the rail 90. A spring |49 ls connected to a portion|50 of said bracket and anchored at I5| to the bracket |39 of themachine frame so that the bracket will be urged in a counter-clockwisedirection or forwardly in the direction of travel of Wheel |41 along therail 90,. It is evident that when a curved portion, particularly anyportion which has its concave portion located on the same sideof therail as vthe sprocket will allow the wheel |41 to swing forwardly inadvance of the actual travel of the sprocket along the rail and willthus cause the wheel to guide and maintain the sprocket in meshingrelation with the rail while preventing any binding action fromoccurring.

It was previously mentioned in section of Fig. 9 that the carrier framefor the fabric was detachably mounted upon the upper frame 21 of theoating frame l2. This frame may preferably be of wood and may be clampedand screwed into position upon the top frame but may also be replaced byan adjustable metal frame as practically illustrated in Fig. 19. Thisframe which is generally indicated at |52 consists of a rear framemember |53 which may be a rail or pipe of metal, a parallel front framemember |54 and a bar of transverse adjustable side members |55, |56which are secured in pipe Ts |51, |58, |59, |50 respectively, These Tsare adjustable along the back and front frame members |53 and |54 andmay be secured along any desired position along the same by means ofthumb screws similar to ISI, ISI. Upon the back member and one sidemember of the frame are located a plurality of spacedstraps preferablyof metal as of |52, |62 to which fabric clamps |63, |63 are securedwhile upon the other side member and the front frame member aredetachably arranged, a plurality of fabric or leather straps |64, |64carrying buckles |65,. |65 and upon one end fabric clamps |65, |66 thefree ends |61, |61 of these straps being capable of being passed throughthe buckles after being looped over the front and side frame mem-bersand thus secured in various usable positions along the said members. Inorder to facilitate placing the frame on the machine or removing thesame therefrom, the rear frame member |53 is provided upon its ends withfreely rotatable rollers similar to |68, |68 which are spaced apartsufficiently to roll upon the rail or frame members 23 and 30 of theupper frame 21 of floating frame I2 on the machine. The clamps justdescribed and the manner in which they are secured or strapped to theframe for carrying the fabric as well as the adjustable features of theframe offer several advantages in that various sizes of fabrics areaccommodated and the frame is readily removed from or placed upon themachine, and when in position may be clamped by hand clamps or any otherknown means to the upper frame upon said machine.

Manifestly, variations of the several parts of the machine other thanthose actually described may be resorted to without parting from thespirit of my invention and parts andv features may be used withoutothers.

Having now fully described my invention, I

claim:

1. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable-designlboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to vbestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a Wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said railandA having attachmentmeans securing said railat spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously .captiveto the rail along the various portionsof,the`

latter, .'said drive shaft is separable from the rotary operating memberby being capable of being raised axially and is provided with a flange,a rotatable eccentric supported upon a stationary portion of the machinedisposed beneath said ange so as to determine the relative raised orlowered positions of said drive shaft with respect to said rotatablemember and separate drive means for said eccentric including a primemover and control means for imparting partial rotations to saideccentric in order to raise or lower the drive shaft at will.

2. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprisinga bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced-intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe -rail along the Various portions of the latter, the rotatableoperating member being dished in its upper portion and transverselyslotted and separable from the operating shaft, and the operating shaftbeing provided with a dependent portion adapted to descend into a hollowportion within said rotatable operating member and with a transverse keymember adapted simultaneously to seat in the transversely slottedportion of said operating member, the operating member remaining captiveupon the design board in engagement with the rail and the meansassociated therewith upon separation of the operating shaft from therotatableoperating member, the dished portion upon thev upper part ofthe operating member serving to guide the dependent portion upontheoperating shaft into position for engagement in said operatingmember.

3. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing ysaid rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from the rotary operatingmember and capable of being raised to effect separation, a springmounted upon said shaft resiliently urging the same downward intoengagement with the operating member, an eccentric shaft mounted upon astationary portion of the machine and provided with an eccentric locatedbeneath one portion of the flange upon said operating shaft so as to becapable of raising said shaft out of contact with the rotary operatingmember upon partial rotation of saideccentric shaft.

4. In an-automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for vsaid wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachment.means securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from `the rotaryoperating member and capable of being raised to effect separation. aspring mounted upon said shaft resiliently urging the same downward intoengagement with the operating member, an eccentric shaft mounted upon astationary portion of the machine and provided with an eccentric locatedbeneath one portion of the flange upon said operating shaft so as to becapable of raising said shaft out of contact with said rotary operatingmember upon partial rotation of said eccentric shaft, and driven meansfor imparting half a revolution to said eccentric shaft at will.

5. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperat-v ing withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from the rotary operatingmember and capable of being raised to effect separation, an eccentricshaft mounted upon a stationary portion of the machine and provided withan eccentric located beneath one portion of the flange upon saidoperating shaft so as to be capable of raising said shaft out of contactwith said rotary operating member upon partial rotation of saideccentric shaft and motor driven means capable of automatically drivingsaid eccentric shaft through half a revolution upon being actuated.

6. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the Various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from the rotary operatingmember and capable of being raised to effect separation, an eccentricshaft mounted upon a stationary portion of the machine and provided withan eccentric located beneath one portion of the ange upon said operatingshaft so as to be capable of raising said shaft out of contact with saidrotary operating member upon partial rotation of:,said eccentric shaftand motor driven means capable of automatically driving said eccentricshaft through half a revolution upon being actuated, comprising astationary shaft fixed upon said stationary portion of the machine, arotatable pulley upon said shaft driven by an independent motor andprovided with a projection upon one side thereof, a sprocket or theequivalent independently rotatable upon said stationary shaft andassociated with a swingable clutch member pivoted upon a portionrotatable with said sprocket and having an extensible part adapted toswing into the path of the projection of said pulley, there being aspring associated with said sprocket tending to swing said clutch memberinto engagement with said projection upon the pulley, a sprocket ofrelatively greater diameter than said first sprocket xed upon theeccentric shaft, a chain connecting said sprockets, and means fornormally retaining said swingable clutch member in idle position out ofengagement with the projection upon said pulley so that said pulley mayrotate freely independently of said clutch member and associatedsprocket.

7. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said Wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from the rotary operatingmember and capable of being raised to effect separation, an eccentricshaft mounted upon a stationary portion of themachine and provided withan eccentric located beneath one portion of the flange upon saidoperating shaft so as to be capable of raising said shaft out of contactwith said rotary operating member upon partial rotation of saideccentric shaft and motor driven means capable of automatically drivingsaid eccentric shaft through half a revolution upon being actuated,comprising a stationary shaft fixed upon said stationary portion of themachine, a rotatable pulley upon said-shaft driven by an independentmotor and provided with a projection upon one side thereof, a sprocketor the equivalent independently rotatable upon said stationary shaft andassociated with a swingable clutch member pivoted upon a portionrotatable with said sprocket and having an extensible part adapted toswing into the path of the projection of said pulley, there being aspring associated with said sprocket tending to swing said clutch memberinto engagement with said projection upon the pulley so that said pulleymay rotate freely independently of said clutch member and associatedsprocket, including a stop fixed upon the machine and a spring operatedlever pivoted at one end to the machine and having one portion capableof being shifted by its spring into obstructing position with respect toone portion of the swingable clutch member so as to prevent rotation ofthe clutch member and associated sprocket and any swinging movement intothe path of the projection upon the pulley.

8. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consisting of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from th-e rotaryoperating member and capable of being raised to effect separation, aneccentric shaft mounted upon a stationary portion of the machine andprovided with an eccentric located beneath one portion of the ange uponsaid operating shaft so as to be capable of raising said shaft out ofcontact with said rotary operating member upon partial rotation of saideccentric shaft, and motor driven means capable of automatically drivingsaid eccentric shaft through half a revolution upon being actuated,comprising a stationary shaft fixed upon said stationary portion of themachine, a rotatable pulley upon said shaft driven by an independentmotor and provided with a projection upon one side thereof, a sprocketor the equivalent independently rotatable upon said stationary shaft andassociated with a swingable clutch member pivoted upon a portionrotatable with said sprocket and having an extensible part adapted toswing into the path of the projection of said pulley, there being aspring associated with said sprocket tending to swing said clutch memberinto engagement with said projection upon the pulley, a second sprocketfixed upon said eccentric shaft and connected by means of a chain to therst sprocket, and means for returning said swingable clutch member intoidle position and retaining the same therein out of engagement with theprojection upon the pulley, comprising primarily a stop xed upon themachine preventing a rotation of the clutch member and associatedsprocket in returned or idle position of said clutch member, and a leverpivoted upon said stationary portion of the machine at one end having acamming portion thereon capable of being engaged by the end of theswingable clutch member during rotation with its associated sprocket andswung into idle position by said camming portion and a locking portionupon said lever capable of being shifted into obstructing position withrespect to the end of said swingable clutch member so as to preventswinging of said member into active position in the path of theprojection upon said pulley.

9. In an automatic fabric stitching machine having a movable designboard provided with a rail following the contour of the design to bestitched and a rotary operating member engaging with said rail,consistimg of a wheel, and a drive shaft for said wheel, the featurescomprising a bent metal strip forming said rail and having attachmentmeans securing said rail at spaced intervals to the design board, meansrigidly associated with said rotary operating member cooperating withsaid design board to retain the operating member continuously captive tothe rail along the various portions of the latter, the operating shafthaving a flange and being completely separable from the rotaryoperating-f member and capable of being raised to effect separation, aneccentric shaft mounted upon a stationary portion of the machine andprovided with an eccentric located beneath one portion of the ange uponsaid operating shaft so as to be capable of raising said shaft out ofcontact with said rotary operating member upon partial rotation of saideccentric shaft and motor driven means capable of automatically drivingsaid eccentric. shaft through half a revolution upon being actuated,comprising a stationary shaft fixed upon said stationary portion of themachine, a rotatable pulley upon said shaft driven by an independentmotor and provided with a projection upon one side thereof, a sprocketor the equivalent independently rotatable upon said stationary shaft andassociated with a swingable clutch member pivoted upon a portionrotatable with said sprocket and having an extensible part adapted toswing into the path of the projection of said pulley, there being aspring associated with said sprocket tending to swing said clutch memberinto lengagement with said projection upon the pulley, a second sprocketfixed upon said eccentric shaft and connected by means of a chain to thefirst sprocket, and means for returning said swingable clutch memberinto idle position and retaining the same therein out of engagement withthe projection upon the pulley and also for releasing said clutch memberat will, comprising primarily a stop fixed upon the machine preventing arotation of the clutch member and associated sprocket in returned oridle position of said clutch member, and a lever pivoted upon saidstationary portion of the machine at one end having a camming portion,and a locking portion upon said lever capable of being shifted intoobstructing position with respect to the end of said swingable clutchmember so as to prevent swinging of said member into active position inthe path of the projection upon said pulley, and wherein the means forreleasing said clutch member includes an electromagnetic coil orsolenoid and a yoke or core capable of being attracted by said coil orsolenoid and connected to said shiftable lever in order to withdraw saidlever in opposition to said spring.

GUSTAV A. BOETTCHER.

